"Don't Leave Things Bhagwan Bharose": Nitish Kumar To Top Officers

After inaugurating new police headquarters in Patna, Nitish Kumar stresses on "disciplined work culture"

Patna:

Following strong criticism over law and order, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, in a stern message, told senior police officers of his state to "get your act together" and "keep crime under control." Nitish Kumar was addressing top officials after inaugurating a swanky police headquarters in Patna on Friday.

"It is a fine structure, which would help you to work efficiently. Get your act together and spare some thought for keeping corruption and crime under control, maintaining social harmony and helping the government in its social reform measures. Do not leave things bhagwan bharose (to God's will)," said the Chief Minisrter.

Nitish Kumar's terse remarks, in the presence of ministers and top officials like Deepak Kumar, the chief secretary and KS Dwivedi, the Director General of Police, come in the backdrop of recent criticisms faced by his government, after CBI probing the sexual abuse of minor girls at a shelter home in Muzaffarpur, found a human skeleton, believed to be remains of one of the victims, at a cremation ground in Sikandarpur area.

The Chief Minister said, democratically elected governments "work for all, which includes the police department and now it is the turn of the police to rise to the occasion".

Inaugurating the Rs 320-crore earthquake resistant complex and several other police projects, Mr Kumar said, "Now you all kindly respond with a disciplined work culture. People have lot of hopes from you. Think over whatever I have said with a cool mind. Your work should bring you satisfaction besides instilling confidence among the common people of the state."

After the apparent warning, Mr Kumar had a few words of praise as well for the state police. Despite several criticisms and "charge of communal prejudice" the forces' "tenacity, industriousness and a mindset has remained untainted," said the Chief Minister. He also spoke of his government's efforts to equip the police force with more weaponry and infrastructure besides recruitment of personnel including women.